A triathlon is a race composed of three events: swimming, biking and running. They are completed in that order.

What made you decide you wanted to do a triathlon?

I became involved when my daughter was in preschool. Several other moms were training for the CGSC triathlon.

I told them I couldn't swim and didn't own a bike, but they told me I should try it anyway. Those ladies knew I could do it and I knew I couldn't. I happily admit they were right and

I was wrong.

What is your favorite leg of a Triathlon?

It's really hard to choose. My worst event is the swim, so I love to do it because it just confirms that the negative things I tell myself — you are a terrible swimmer — aren't really true.

I really enjoy biking and that is the leg where you hear the most encouragement. On the bike course, the people who have passed the halfway point and are on their way back, are quick to encourage others to keep going and offer praise, too.

The run is great because it's the last event. I can relax and look forward to crossing the finish line, knowing the training I did got me through an event that most people won't attempt. Most people will listen to the voice in their head, rather than the preschool moms who tell them to just give it a try.

How much time is involved in preparing to race a triathlon?

The amount of training depends on the distance of the race. A full Ironman triathlon: 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, 26.2 mile run takes a lot of time to train for.

I trained for my first sprint distance tri during preschool hours: two mornings a week and a couple of Saturday bike rides on my neighbor's mountain bike.

If you have 30 minutes to an hour, 3-5 times per week, you can practice all three events and fit in some strength training and finish strong on a sprint distance course. I have found that registering for a triathlon is the best way to keep myself focused on regular exercise.

The start line is my reward and the finish line is the cherry on top.

How can ladies find out more about the sport in our area?

Page 2 of 2 - Any ladies who would like to find out more should consider the Leavenworth Triathlon Club (LTC). The members (men and women) have done every distance of triathlon possible and are in different degrees of training. Rookies to veterans are all welcome.

You can attend a meeting before you decide to join. Tonight some ladies from the LTC are conducting a seminar for ladies who would like to learn more but may not be ready to jump right in.

There will be lots of great basic information, lots of opportunities to ask questions, and some pretty cool prizes, too.